Maher adds insult to tourists' misery

For a man who has been afforded just two one-day internationals to translate impressive domestic form on to a higher stage, Jimmy Maher (150) took things in his stride remarkably easily in Hobart today. On a day when his opponents did little to diminish their gloomy collective disposition, the Queenslander's century was the clear highlight of an otherwise unremarkable opening to the tour match between Australia 'A' and West Indies at the Bellerive Oval.

The twenty-six year old left hander profited from a curious decision at the start of the day by the West Indians and remained at the crease until nearly its very close. Albeit that it was crafted on a placid pitch, Maher's ninth first-class century - and a third from only five matches in an explosive beginning to this Australian season - was a masterpiece of concentration and a tribute to his ability to deal with loose bowling.

During its 339-minute course, he also proved at least two things. That Australia, lest it will ever require it, has a wealth of largely unexplored talent waiting in the wings and that West Indian captain Jimmy Adams might well have been better advised to bat first in this match.

In view of the fact that his team entered the contest urgently requiring batting practice, and found that he had no more than three fit front-line bowlers at his disposal, it seemed an odd decision for Adams to want to invite his opponents to bat first. It assumed even more confounding proportions as Maher and Queensland teammate Martin Love (76) stood firm to add an untroubled 156 for the second wicket and provide the impetus to help carry a side which brims with some of Australia's best-credentialled domestic players to 4/306 by stumps.

"We thought there was enough moisture in it to warrant that," mused the tourists' skipper of the decision.

"We figured that it (the moisture) would have lasted until about lunch time and that, if we'd had two or three wickets by lunch time, it would have been worth it."

"The bottom line is that we bowled too many full balls during the course of the day. I would have been happy with 4/250; I think (to concede) 300 is too much for a Test team," he said.

Maher certainly wasn't in any mood to complain. The ball did plenty through the opening half-hour, the period during which the steepling bounce being extracted by Marlon Black (0/49) from the Church Street End seemed, ultimately, to unsettle local hero Jamie Cox (6) into an error at the other end. But, thereafter, he seamlessly took toll of the understrength attack with a lovely mixture of drives, pulls and cuts. The only semblance of a chance from his bat came with his score at fifty-three and even that was near-impossible: Marlon Samuels launching himself high into the air above cover point to try and intercept a ripping cut.

"Being down here, and being part of the 'A' side is a thrill for me," said Maher after play. "It was important to go out and score runs ... and very pleasing."

"Generally down here, the wicket does a bit early ... but early today, I think they probably bowled a fraction short and probably didn't make the best use of the wicket."

"Every time you go out to bat, you want to do the best you can. It doesn't matter where you're playing - someone's got a ball in their hand and you've got a bat in your hand (and) you've got to work hard to get your runs ," he added, underlining the disciplined mindset which lay at the core of his innings.

Of the West Indian bowlers, Colin Stuart (3/76) was the most successful. Part-time spinners Adams (0/25) and Samuels (0/71) also held up well in difficult circumstances. And Wavell Hinds (1/18) performed an important job with his gentle medium pace by luring Damien Martyn (37), the likely replacement for the injured Steve Waugh in next week's Third Test in Adelaide, into playing a lazy, uncontrolled cut in late afternoon.

But there will be likely be little respite for the attack in the morning when the ravenous Simon Katich (25*) continues to mount a burgeoning campaign for inclusion in Australia's Test team in the near future. Having seen champion batsman Brian Lara disappear to the rooms for the entirety of the last hour as his much-publicised hamstring complaint continued to haunt him, omens, strategies and developments simply go from bad to worse for the tourists.